The only reality I can fathom currently is for Schrinner to axe away the Doomben line & Airport line options’. So in the end, all we’ll get is a Brisbane Metro to Springwood, Capalaba, and Carseldine.
1 Like
Another oddball possibility is for future Metro routes (such as Capalaba’s) to run every 10 minute headways off-peak – a significant downgrade compared to the 5 minute frequencies we’re all used to.
Whilst I would love seeing BRT expanded out to Carseldine, my gut feeling also tells me that the Brisbane Metro will only make it as far out to Chermside. This is owing to the fact that bridging Federation Street and Truro Street together may prove inordinately costly. And the thought of constructing an elevated busway above Gympie Rd (possibly) may result in untenable cost blowouts. It’s a far cry from the early 2010s, when TMR explicitly told locals that a Northern Busway to Bracken Ridge could be feasible.
1 Like
An even wilder theory is that the Brisbane Metro to Capalaba will be truncated to Carindale.
Whilst the path from Chandler to Capalaba is straightforward, it is not so clear-cut from Langlands Park to Carindale. Most of it is low-lying, low-density residential land - see Camp Hill, Carina, etc.
The idea of council resuming those properties to make way for big busway stations (presumably longer than Mater Hill’s or South Bank’s, in order to future-proof them) will most certainly incite strong community backlash. But I think certain stops - like Kismet St in Camp Hill - will resemble more like Federation Street (a busway stop) than an actual busway station.
It seems unlikely. BCC is leading the project in Brisbane, whereas on the Gold Coast, the project was led by the private partner and the Queensland Government.
Rolling out Brisbane Metro BRT in Brisbane creates efficiencies for an existing bus operation that ratepayers pay for, whereas GCCC doesn’t generally fund bus operations (or tram) for that matter, so it’s not creating efficiencies like it is for BCC.
1 Like
I guess we’ll only know for sure in early 2026, when BCC (hopefully) finalizes their expansion study case. And everyone will finally get a glimpse of whether the busways will be a mix of underground, at-grade, or elevated.
Even with efficiencies at play, there’s nothing like community consultation to drive the expansion case into haywire. 
Well, considering BCC legally can’t run anything to the Airport until the Airtrain contract is bought out, it makes sense that the priority may be with Springwood, Capalaba & Carseldine. This is what the Brisbane Times reported this morning:
Schrinner said the expansion of the Metro had been given the green tick for federal funding, and the council would begin a business case soon, including a more detailed plan of extended routes.
Previous plans for a Metro extension have seen services running as far north as Carseldine, and out to Springwood and Capalaba in the city’s south and east.
Personally, I think that the Springwood extension will be the first one to eventuate, as the busway runs all the way there, it would just be a case of altering the existing station to fit.
3 Likes
Yep. It’s the only one with a similar business case for M1 and M2 - existing busway that BCC can plonk a new vehicle on.
Schrinner and BCC will get a rude shock if they ever try building substantial new PT infrastructure through existing built up area like Langlands Park to Carindale. The costs, time frames and community engagement issues increase exponentially. They’ve had it easy so far.
That’s why they’ll expect the State Government to lead on any of that work.
2 Likes
There are plans out somewhere, made by the government in the early 2000’s, for the Eastern Busway. It would’ve run in tunnels up until Camp Hill, where it emerges and runs in the median of Old Cleveland Road (where the tram tracks are, although I’m not sure if their heritage listing would stifle any busway construction there). I honestly think it wouldn’t need too many resumptions. Also, I’ve been told by various people that the development at Coorparoo junction includes a shell for a future busway station, however I’m not sure if that’s an urban myth.
On the topic of a northern metro, it would definitely cost a lot to bridge Federation Street and Truro Street, most likely through a tunnel. I do think there’s good potential for TOD at Windsor with this though. If you look at the original plans (which I can’t find anymore), made around the same time as the eastern busway plans, the plan was to run the busway up the western side of Gympie Road, where the car dealerships are. There would’ve also been a tunnel to Prince Charles Hospital and back to Chermside. Any northern busway extension would have significant community backlash, as people are already fed up with transitway works.
I think BCC would expect the state to chip in for any infrastructure, including possible busways.
1 Like
I’d love genuine busway expansion but there’s absolutely zero chance that any ‘metro’ extensions will be busways.
Building a busway is like building a new rail line. Costs are significant and the state government has already made it very clear they are too busy building new motorways over the next decade to divert funds to PT.
Consider the cost and time required just to retrofit the existing SEB/inner northern busway for the ‘metro’ buses.
Expect there to be at-grade transit lanes/T3 lanes and/or bus jumps at intersections.
2 Likes
If council & the state government are unable to future-proof Springwood bus station so that it can accommodate bi-articulated buses (in the most diabolical of all situations), then the least they can do is supply Logan Clarks’ with dozens of articulated buses
Ensure every 555 commuter gets to regularly enjoy a Volvo B8RLEA [Volgren_Optimus] 
2 Likes